Crazy times, huh? When life gets shaky and uncertain I like to remind myself of the gospel. Do you know what the gospel is? The gospel is the power of God unto salvation. Like any good news, you have to know the bad news first. The bad news is we’re bad. The bad news is that we can’t remove the bad and that it will take eternity to pay for all the bad we’ve done – not because of the varying level of bad things we’ve done, but because of Who we’ve offended with our bad things. God has laws. There’s 10 of them. And we’ve broken every single one of them.
The first half of the Ten Commandments deal with commands on how we should love God perfectly and the second with how we are to love each other perfectly. The fact is that when we are presented with these 10 laws and asked if we’ve perfectly honored God and perfectly honored each other the answer is a resounding and condemning, “no”. Even on your very best day, being your very best self, you still carry the stains of days, moments and years you’ve sinned against God. And try as you may, that stain will never be removed or cleaned by your very best intentions. And from that, a price must be paid. The penalty is death and the sentence is eternal. Why? Because sin separates us from a holy God and eternity is how long it will take to pay it.
But there is really good news. And the One who made clear to us the bad news is the One who also provides all the good news.
That cup of wrath has been fully consumed already by our loving savior, Jesus Christ, for all who will believe. Jesus has no beginning and he has no end. He was born of a virgin, born under the law, lived a perfect life, and then laid his life down as a ransom for many.
Jesus lived a life of perfect obedience earning righteousness in the place of unrighteous sinners (you and me). And then, he was placed upon the cross and suffered under the wrath of God also in the place of unrighteous sinners, dying on our behalf.
Through this payment made by Jesus in his own blood, God’s wrath is satisfied. At the same time, all who believe in Jesus will be made right with God, not by our work, but by faith in Jesus’ work.
On the third day, Jesus arose from the grave proving the sacrifice was acceptable and later ascended to the right hand of God where he is seated making intercession for sinners like you and me.
I’m reminded of Jesus’ baptism and when “a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, with whom I’m well pleased.”” (Matthew 3:17) as if to say “There! That’s MY Son!” When we’re saved we no longer wear the sin-sick cloak of unrighteousness that makes us children of our father, the Devil (John 8:44). No ma’am. When we are saved, we now wear the full righteousness of Jesus and God is able to look at us and say, “There! That’s MY child!” Never because of what we’ve done, but all because of what Jesus has done!
If you believe that Gospel, you should repent of your sins and be baptized in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
If you wish to talk further, please reach out to me and I’d be happy to talk.
Lacey Shelton 